Ptolemy
Ptolemy In Detail Orbital Characteristics Mean orbital distance: 0.86 AU Inclination: 2.4 degrees to invariable plane Orbital period: 234.3 Terran Days Planetary Characteristics Mass: 0.81 Terran Mean Radius: 0.87 Terran Equatorial Radius: 0.84 Terran Polar Radius: 0.85 Terran Oblateness: 0.96 Terran Equatorial Gravity: 0.78 Terran Escape Velocity: 0.75 Terran Axial Tilt: 16.76683 degrees The third of the Penitence system's worlds, Ptolemy has a mass comparable to Terra and slightly weaker gravity. Terra-formed sometime before the Age of Strife, the planet sided with the conquering forces of the Nakt Crusade in M32, eager to strike down their rivals on what is now Murdoch's Folly with aid from the liberators of their system. Finally free of the war that had dogged the world for centuries, Ptolemy was soon thriving and blossomed into a world of some import in the sub-sector within three centuries of aligning with Terra. Millennia of population increase and resultant increases in industry and resource consumption caused a shift in the world's ecology, rendering it unsuitable for agriculture. Ptolemy's primary purpose became production and so began a slow shift from civilised world classification to that of a hive world. The resource-rich worlds of the Cuir sub-sector (and in the past, the Antonine Cluster) brought raw materials, water and food, and a steady stream of products was soon heading to the Carthax sector's primary worlds. Ptolemy's main plasteel production centre is Purity, the largest of its six hive cities. Purity dominates the Southern Hemisphere, and it's multiple space elevators link it with orbital docks for the berthing of arriving ore barges and departing mass conveyors. Purity is home to innumerable forges, all burning throughout the world's 28 hour day. New, larger forges are forever being constructed atop the previous generation, leaving the dark, sooty works behind for the poorer forge masters to purchase and exploit. The deepest levels of Purity are little more than caverns and tunnels cut through compressed ash and are rumoured to be home to outcasts, forbidden cults and mutants. Striving to be clear of the hellish confines of the forge city, Purity's spire climbs thousands of metres into the sky, piercing the clouds and bathing the world's rulers in starlight. Purity is governed by a collective of forge masters, the nominated chairperson also fulfilling the role of Imperial Governor. Currently, Malyrus Azra rules Ptolemy and the Penitence System. Azra has chaired the collective for twenty-four years and has seen a two-fold increase in productivity each year of his reign. He is a popular chair in the eyes of the collective, but is viewed as a murderous tyrant by the forge workers. The boost to production is a result of longer working hours and the servitorisation of dissenters and those that suffer workplace injuries. Linked to Ptolemy by highways, (heavily polluted) sea and air are the hives Reason, Truth, Martyrdom, Hope and Mercy. Each has a population of greater than ten billion but are lesser population centres nonetheless. Reason, Hope and Mercy process plasteel as Purity does, but each specialises in a particular product: Reason produces cases for 19 megathule las packs; Hope, beams and pipe work for hab construction; and Mercy, plating for Astra Militarum auxiliary vehicles. As with Purity, these three hives comprise layer upon layer of forges and see many similar social problems amongst their workforces. Truth hive is unusual in that it is ruled by the Adeptus Mechanicus. Though they care little for the politics of the world, they police Truth as if it were one of their own demesnes. The reason for this level of security is that Truth is a production centre for the Godwyn-De'az pattern boltgun, most commonly recognised as the weapon of the Adepta Sororitas. This most revered of designs requires the constant vigil of the tech priests to prevent corruption of its form by the menials tasked with its construction. Ptolemy's final hive is Martyrdom, and is the only city not to work with plasteel. Martyrdom's primary product is flak-weave textiles. The hive city churns out guard-quality vests and greatcoats by the million each day in cathedral-sized factories. In its spire, elegant garments are hand sewn by individual artisans to the exacting specifications of noble families right across the sector. Any design is within their skill, from flak-weave admiralty dress uniforms to wedding dresses fit for the daughter of a planetary lord. To have but a single handkerchief embroidered by one of Martyrdom's master weavers is considered a mighty boon. Rough estimates of Ptolemy's population are around 98 billion, the vast majority of whom form the world's working class. Local ministorum doctrine worships the God-Emperor in the aspect of the void father, watching over the faithful from the heavens and protecting them from the horrors of deep space. Mutation rates are standard for a hive world of equivalent population density, and the world's government works well with the Black Ships of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica. Imperial Guard Regiments raised on Ptolemy are considered capable, well-disciplined fighters, but have few specialist units. In the last decade twenty-one regiments have been founded and transported to the ongoing war in the Cerestne system. The average Ptolemite is around 190cm tall, 75kg in weight, with a light complexion. Cultural quirks vary between hives and even within particular forges, but most of the working class have little to no hair, and poor eyesight is common. The ruling classes tend to be of tanned and dark complexions, and slightly taller on average than their underlings.